A woman whose home was turned into a secret cannabis factory has been ordered to pay £113,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Beautician, Jo-Ann Walker, 37, from Walkden , was previously sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, for permitting the production of cannabis.

Today Manchester Crown Court heard how Walker had benefited by £487,268.85 in ill-gotten gains after a cannabis farm was discovered in a garage at her home address on January 4th last year.

Walker, of Manchester Road, has now been ordered to pay back £113,782.93 within three months otherwise she will have to serve a prison sentence of two years and will still have to release her assets.

Walker told court that cannabis farm was builder's fault

To fund the order, Walker could have to sell her three properties in Walkden, Skelmanthorpe, and Southport.

Det Insp Benjamin Cottam, from GMP’s Salford borough, said: “Time and time again we come across individuals who have no regard for the law and lead lavish lifestyles through money paid for by crimes.

“But in this case, as with many GMP officers uncover, these individuals are being caught and are being stripped of their assets.

“I hope this serves as a deterrent for those tempted by crime that we don’t stop after a conviction - we will also track down every penny that you have earned through crime and make you pay it back.”

Walker's home on Manchester Road in Worsley, where the cannabis farm was found

At the original court case mother-of-two, Walker, said she had some renovation work carried out on her £230,000 property in Worsley , Greater Manchester, but found herself struggling financially when she got her bill.

She agreed to let the unnamed builder use her garage to store goods but while she was on holiday in America, he transformed it into a cannabis farm to house £15,000 worth of marijuana plants.

She denied setting up the drug farm and said she allowed a builder to use her garage in repayment for work he did for her.

Walker leaving court following her conviction earlier this year

Walker was still in the U.S. with her sister when police passing her home noticed a strong smell of the Class B drug emanating from the garage.

Officers raided the property and found it had been turned into a ‘sophisticated’ cannabis farm housing 34 potent skunk plants, complete with silver foil-lined walls, heat lamps, fans and ventilation equipment.

The court heard that Walker had led a previously ‘unblemished’ life, working as a beautician in a hairdressing salon and a receptionist in a hotel while bringing up her two children single-handedly. At the time she was sentenced last year she was six months pregnant with a third child.